Lathe-operating mechanism.



E. POKORA. LATHE OPERATING MECHANISIVI.

APPLICATIN FILED OCT. 29. 1915.

Patented Jan. 16,1917.

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Y E. POKOIRA. LATHE OPERATING MECHANISIVI. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 29,1915.

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E. POKORA.

LATHE OPERATING MECHANISIVI.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 29. I9I5.

ll?, Patented Ja11.16,1917('.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- /0 Il l) E. POKORA.

LATHE OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 29| 1915.

Lm., Patented Jan. 16,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

EMANUEL POKORA, OF MQKEES ROCKS, PENNSYLVANIA.

LATHE-OPERATING MECHNISM.

Specification of Letters latent. Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

Application led October 29, 1915. Serial No.p58,606.

To all who/mit may concern l Be it known that I, EMANUEL PoKoRA, residing at McKees Rocks, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a subject of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Lathe Operating Mechanism, of which improvements the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanism for controlling the movements and operation of' tool-operating machines, and finds particular applicability to lathes.

The object of my invention is, generally stated, to improve '-andf simplify the construction and operation of such mechanism.

A more specific object is to provide fluidpressure controlling and operating mechanism whereby 4a tool, or the work to` be operated upon, may, one with relation to` the other, be moved first in one and then in another direction, the change in the path of movements being effected by means of the pressure fluid, and the tool being held to the work by such Huid. n

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

-which form part of -my speciiication, I have illustrated a lathe embodying the preferred form of my invention.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 are, respectively, side elevation, top plan, and end view` of the lathe; Fig. 4 a detail view, to enlarged scale,

of a cylinder; Fig. 5 a sectional view taken on the line V-V, Fig. 4; Figs. 6 and 'Z are, respectively, side and plan detail views, lto enlarged scale of stop mechanism; Fig. 8 a face view, to enlarged scale and partly in section, of controlling valves for the machine; Fig. 9 a top plan view of the valves of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 a right end view of the valves of Fig. 8; and Fig. 11 a diagrammatic view of substantially the entire operating mechanism.

In the several figures like numerals are used to designate like parts.

As already stated, my invention is particularly applicable to lathes. However, it may be employed with various types of lathes, and with lathes adapted to operate upon different kinds of work.

In the drawings my improvements are 4 shown as applied to a lathe for turning down the ends of car axles. Such lathes, as. is well known, are usually constructed to.

operate simultaneously on both ends of the axles, one end of the machine being substantially a duplicate of the other. Accordingly, in illustrating my invention I have shown duplicate sets of cutters and of controlling mech'anism. Furthermore,`I have shown a machine wherein the work is held in fixed position with relation to the machine frame or body, and the cutters are advanced -as the operation proceeds, rather than a reversal of this a-rrangement.v It

will, however, be obvious that, as farl as some features of my invention are concerned, either form of machine may be used.

In the machine shown herein there is a frame 1 having at its opposite ends standards 2 provided with adjustable centering pins 3 `for rotatably supporting an axle 4. The axle may be rotated in any suitable manner, as for example by means of a power shaft 5 and the mechanism cordinated therewith for engaging the central portion of the axle. The details of theillustrated construction for'eecting such rotation are well understood by those skilled in the art and need not be further explained. Slidably mounted on opposite sides of the center of ythe frame 1 are cutter carriages 6 provided axle 4, andholding such cutters to the work.

Each cylinder 10 is provided with a plunger 12, which is connected to a cutter holder 13 mounted for transverse sliding movement upon the carriage, and held yieldingly away from the center ofthe work by means yof links 14 and springs 15, as clearly indicated. 'Ihe'movements of the plungers or pistons 12 toward the center of the machine may be adjustably controlled by means of set screws v16 secured to the carriage, and

their opposite movements maybe similarly vcontrolled by set screws 17 secured to the cutter holders. Thus, in operation, pressure fiuid entering thevcylinders 10 through suitable flexible pipes 18, will, against the pressure of the springs 15, move the plungers outwardly until the cutter supports strike the stops or set screws 16, and thereafter the of my invention, be taken from any source of pressurev supply and be permitted to escape after having passed through the machine, but I preferably provide for the continuous use of the same quantity of water and for a variation o f its pressure. Suitable means to this end are illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 11, and consist of a double tank comprising an upper air-tight high pressure portion 19, into which water from the low pressure portion 20 is forced by means of a pump 21. The water fromithe high pressure tank flows through a valvecontrolled pipe 22 to the controlling valves presently to be explained, and from such controlling valves to the low pressure tank through one or b oth of the pipes 23 and 24.

The controllin valves are so arranged that the water is rst caused vto flow, through the pipes 18, to the carriage cylinders 10 to cause the cutters to cut into the work the required amount, such being determined by the positions of the set screw stop 16, as already explained. Thereafter the increasing pressure with-in the pipe system leading from the tanks 19 (such increase in pressure being due to the continued action of the pump 21) becomes eii'ective 'to cause the controlling mechanism to open the line of flow to the cylinders -9 to move the carriages longitudinally of the work. Finally, at the completion of the turning or cutting operation, the fluid supply to both sets of cylinders 9 and 10 is cut ofi" and the pressure Huid directed through the pipes leading to the'low pressure tank 20.

In the general views of my machine (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) two sets of controlling valves are shown, one for each of the carriages 6.

Since they are duplicates, the further .description will concern but one set of the controlling valves, namely that used for controlling the left hand carriage 6 (as viewed in Fig. l) and the movable cutter supports thereon. This set of valves is illustrated in detail in' Figs. 8, 9 and 10, and diagrammatically in Fig. V11.

While various forms of valve construction may be used, I preferably use plunger valves,

that is, valves consisting each of a cylinder provided interiorly wlth a valve seat or Seats and with a reciprocatory valve rod or stem. In each controlling mechanism I preferably employ ve of such valves indicated in the drawings as A, B, C, D and E. In describing these valve units, I will lirst explain the construction of each, then the various pipe connections and mechanism for operating the valves, and finally the operation of the whole.

The valve A consists of a cylinder 25 having an `inlet 26 and two outlets 27 and 28, and provided interiorly with a valve port, 29. Within the cylinder there is mounted for longitudinal movement a rod 30 the lower end'of which forms a closure for the port 29. A This rod is provided with a packed piston 31, and is held yieldingly downwardly by means of a spring 32, there being a second spring 33, having more resistance than the spring 32, surrounding the rod 30', and effective, after such rod has been raised sufficiently to open the port 29, to yieldingly resist further movement thereof.

The valve B consists of a cylinder 34 having a bottom inlet 35 and a side outlet 36, and provided with a port 37. A suitably packed rod 38 extends through the port 37, is provided at its lower end with a valve plug 39 for such port, and to close such port isheld yieldingly upward by means of a spring 40.

The valves C and D are structurally the same as the valve B, each being provided, respectively, with bottom inlets 41 and 42 and with side outlets 43 and 44.

The valve E consists of a two-part casing orcylinder 48 having an inlet '45 and outlet 46 and 47, and provided interiorly with ports 49 and 50 on opposite sides of the inlet 45. The port 49 is adapted to be closed by the end of a valve rod 5l, held yieldingly downward by a spring 52, while the port 50 is normally closed by means of a plug 53 attached to a rod 54 held downwardly by a spring 55. As seen particularly in Fig. 11,

the inlet 45' of valve E is connected to the pipe 22 leading from the high pressure tank 19. The upper outlet 46 of this valve is connected by a pipe 56 to the inlet 26 of valve A, of which the outlet 28 is connected by pipe 56 to the inlet 35 of valve B. The other outlet 27 of valve A is connected by a pipe 57 to the iiexible pipes 18 leading to the carriage cylinders, and to the pipe 58 leading lto the inlet 41 of valve C. The outlet 36 of valve structures proper. The several valve cylinders may be cast integrally with each other and with a mounting frame 63 adapted to be connected to the side of the machine body 1. Pivotally connected to the frame 63 there is a bell-crank lever 64, held yieldingly by a spring 65 in the position indicated in the drawings. One arm of this lever lies in the path of movement of,'and is adapted to be tripped by, the j, valve rod 30, while the other arm thereoforms a latch adapted to engage and hold in elevated position a rod 66, mounted for longitudinal fmovement in a laterally extending flange 67 of the frame 63, and held yieldingly downward by means of a spring 68. The rod 66 is in alinement with the valve rod 38 of the valve B, and is adapted, when the lever 64 is tripped, to move the rod 38 downwardly and hence open the port 37. Similarly mounted in the iange 67 are three other rods 69,70 and 71, which register, respectively, with the valve rods of the valves C, D and E, and are pressed downwardly by the several springs as indicated. That these rodsmay be moved in unison their outer ends are connected through links 72 to a shaft 7 3; To hold the rods upwardly, yI provide pivotally-mounted spring-pressed trip fingers 74 adapted to extend beneath flanges 75 secured to or forming part of the rods. These fingers are furthermore connected to a latch bar 76 which may be moved longitudinally by means of a finger 77 secured to a vertically-disposed rotatable rod 78. The instrumentalities for .turning the. rod 78 will presently be explained.` To :the end that the rod 54 of valve E may be ralsed at the same time that the rod 5l of the same valve' is lowered, the rod 54 is connected to the rod 71 by meanslof a lever 79, adjustable connecting link 80 and arm 81 secured to the rod 71. Suitable means are also provided for quickly resetting-the valves C, D and E, and, las shown herein, consists of a hand lever 82 pivoted to the frame 63 and attached to the shaft 73.

By raising such hand lever the several rods 69, and 7 1 will be raised, as will also the connectir g link 80 to lower the valve rod 54.

In Figs.`6 and 7 there is shown in detail the construction which I preferably provide for turning the rod 78 to move the latch 'bar 76. It comprises a trip block 83 mounted for longitudinal adjustment upon a rod 84 secured to a depending boss of the left hand carriage 6 and slidably mounted in a similar boss of the other carriage. The upper end of the rod is provided with a finger 85, lying in the path of movement of the block 83, and

adapted to be moved by such block to turn' said rod. To obtain a minute final adjustment'of the block 83 with relation to the carriage, the rod 84 has screw-thread engagement with the carriage and is provided with a knurled turning-wheel 86. By turning this wheel the rod may be moved" in either direction and thereafter a machine will be limited tothe movements of the left hand carriage, the cutter supports thereon, and the valve system connected therewith. Assuming the parts to be in the positions indicated in the drawings, that an axle 4 is properly supported in the standards 2 and suitably connected to the mechanism for effecting 'its rotation, and that the position of the stops 16 and 83 have been accurately located, 'the pump 21 may be set in operation to force Water or other pressure fluid through the pipe 22. The water enters the inlet 45 of valve E, exerts its pressure upon the lower end of the valve rod 51 to raise such rod, and escapes through the port 49, outlet 46 and pipe 56 to the inlet 26 of valve A. The pressure thus created within the cylinder 25 of valve A is suiiicient to cause the rod30 to move upwardly against the pressure of the spring 32, but is not suiiicient to raise such rod an appreciable height against the pressure of the second lspring 33 when it comes into action. The port 29 be- Ving thus opened, water flows through the pipes 57 and 18 to the cylinder 10 and exerts its pressure upon the plungers 12 to move the cutters progresses. It should be here stated that at this stage of the operation the inlets of both valves `B and C are, `by means of pipes 56 and 58, respectively, in communication with the high pressure tank 19, but that, such valves being at this time closed, water does not flow through their. ports. When the cutters have reached the limit of their required travel toward the center of the axle, the cutter holders 13 abut against the stops 16.v The further' action of the pump 21 increases the 11 into the work as the cuttingl pressure within the cylinder 25 `of valve A rod 30 thereof to" be raised causing the j t pressure of the spring 33 until against the the upper end vof such rod trips the lever 6 4,

the inlet of valve D in communication with fthe source of pressure Huid. When thecarriage 6 reaches the limit of its intended moves the carriage longitudinallyl of the work. Here, also, it should be ob-j served that the opening of the valve B places port being open, water flows y cut ofi" from communication with the pipe 56 and placed in communication with the pipe 23, so that the continued action of the pump (unless its operation is immediately stopped) causes water to flow from the high to the low pressure tanks. The opening of the ,f valve C places, through pipes 58, 61 and 24,

the cylinders 10 in communication with the low pressure tank, so that the plungers 12 may be withdrawn by the springs 15. Furthermore the opening of the valve Dplaces, through pipes 60, 62 and 24, the cylinder 9 in communication with the low pressure tank, so that the carriage 6 may be returned to the starting position, as by means of counter weights 90' (Fig. 1). The operation being thus completed, another axle, intended to be similarly turned down, may be placed in the machine and the operation may be repeated, it being only necessary to lift the rod 66 and the hand lever 82 to reset the valves, the several adjusted stops remaining in their previously arranged positions.

From the foregoing explanation of the construction and operation of the several valve units A, B, C, D and E, it will be readily apparent thatAsuch valves may be variously grouped to accomplish different results. F or example, should it be desirable to control only a movement such as that of the plungers 12 within the cylinders 10, it would be only necessary to use the valves A., C and E, the valve A controlling the flow of pressure fluid to the cylinders, the valve lC controlling the flow` of such fluid from the cylinders tothe low pressure tank or reservoir, and the valve E for controlling the flow of such fluid from the high to the low pressure tanks at the conclusion of the required cutting operation and-- While the pump 2l continues to operate. Furthermore, when the valves are used in the arrangement illustrated herein, they may, for operating purposes be considered as divided into threev groups, first, valve A for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to the cylinders 10; second, valve B for controlling the flow of such fluid to the cylinder 9; and third valve C, D and E for controlling the flow of pressure fluid from such cylinders 10 and 9 and the high pressure tank to the'low pressure tank.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a lathe, the combination of a work support, a cutter, Huid-pressure means for effecting a relative movement between said support and cutter in one direction, a stop for limiting saidmovement, a second fluidpressure means for effecting a relative movement between said parts'in Vanother direction, a source of pressure fiuid sup-ply in communication with said first named moving means, and means operable by the pressure-fluid and at the conclusion of said first named movement for Adirecting pressurefluid from said source to said second-named moving means. x

' 2. In a lathe, the combination of a work support, a cutter, fluid-pressure means for effecting a relative movement between said support and'cutter in one direction, a stop for limiting said movement, a second fluidpressure means for effecting a relative movement between said parts in another direction, a source of pressure-fluid supply including means for increasing the pressure upon the fluid when the resistance to the flow thereof is increased, a conduit between said supply and said first-named moving means, and means operable atthe conclusion of said first-named movement and by the increased pressure upon the fluid for directing pressure-fluid from said source to said second-named moving means.

3. In a lathe, the combination of a work support, a cutter, fluid pressure means for effecting a relative movement between said support and cutter in one direction, a stop for limiting said movement, a second fluidpressure means for'effecting a relative movement between said parts in another direction, means for limiting said second-named movement, a reservoir for low pressure motive fluid, a reservoir for high-pressure motive fluid, a pump for taking fluid from the low to the high pressure reservoir and by continued action effective. to' increase the pressure upon the fluid in the high pressure reservoir when the flow vtherefrom is diminished, a conduit between said high pressure reservoir and said first-named moving means, means operable at the conclusion of said first named movement and by the increased pressure upon the fluid for directing pressure-fluid from the high pressure reservoir to said second-named moving means,

in another direction, va source of pressurefluid supply including means for increasing the pressure upon the fluid when the iiow from said supply is diminished, conduits between said cylinders and said source of supply, a valve in the conduit leading to said second-named cylinder, and means operable at the conclusion of said first-named movement and by the increase in pressure upon the pressure Huid for opening said valve.

5. In a lathe, the combination of a work support, a cutter, Huid-pressure mechanism for effecting a relative feed movement between said support and cutter, high and low pressure reservoirs for operating-fluid, `a conduit between said mechanism and the high pressure reservoir, a conduit between said mechanism and the low pressure reservoir, a valve in said last named conduit,

'closed during said feed movement, and

means operable at the conclusion of a feed movement for opening said valve to permit the flow of pressure-Huid from said mechanism to the low pressurereservoir.

6. In a lathe, the combination cfa, work support, a cutter, Huid-pressure mechanism for effecting a relative feed movement between said support and cutter, high and low pressure reservoirs for operating-Huid, a conduit between said mechanism and the high pressure reservoir, a valve in said conduit open during said feed movement, a conduit between said mechanism and the lowpressure reservoir, a valve in the last named conduit closed during said feed movement, and means operable at the conclusion of a feed movement for closing said first named valve and opening said last named valve.

In a lathe, the combination of a work support, a cutter, Huid-pressure mechanism for effecting a relative feed movement between said support and cutter, high and low pressure reservoir for operating-fluid, a compound valve, a conduit leading from the high pressure reservoir to said valve, conduits leading from said valve to said mechanism and to the low pressure reservoir, said 4valve during said feeding movement permitting How to said mechanism and closing said conduit leading to the low pressure reservoir, a conduit between said mechanism and the low pressure reservoir closed during the feed movement, and means operable at the conclusion of a feeding movement to open said last named valve and to reverse said compound valve.

v 8. In a lathe, the combinatlon of a work support, a cutter, Huid-pressure mechanism for ,effecting a relative feed movement between said support and cutter, yielding means for resisting said movement, high and low pressurereservoirs for operating-Huid,

va conduit between said mechanism and the high pressure reservoir, a condu1t between said mechanism and the low-pressure reservolr, a valve 1n said named condu1t closed duringsaid feed movement, and means operable at the conclusion of a feed movement for opening said valve to permit the How of pressure fluid from :said mechanism to the low pressure reservoir, said yielding. resisting means being effective when said valve is opened to cause a relative movement between said cutter and support in a direction Y reverse to said feed movement.

9. In a lathe, the combination of a work support, a cutter, Huid-pressure mechanism lfor effecting a relative feed movement bepressed plunger open to the pressure of the fluid led to the first named mechanism, and means operable by the movement lof said plunger at the conclusion of the feed movement of the first named mechanism for opening said valve to permit flow to said secondnamed mechanism.

10. In a lathe, the combination of a work support, a cutter, fluid-pressure mechanism for eecting a relative feed movement between said support and cutter,a second Huidpressure mechanism for effecting a relative feed movement between said support and cutter in another direction, highand low pressure reservoirs for operating-fluid, conduits leading from said high pressure reservoir to said mechanisms, a `valve in the conduit leading. to said second named mechanism, closed during the operation of the first named mechanism, means operable at the conclusion of the feed movement of the first named mechanism for opening said valve, conduits leading from said mechanisms to the low pressure reservoirs, valves in said conduitsclosed during the operation of said second-named feed movement, and means operable at the conclusion of the feed movement of the second-named mechanism for opening said second-named valves to permit flow from both mechanisms to the low pressure reservoir.

11. In a lathe, the combination of a work support, a cutter, fluid-pressure mechanism for effecting a relative feed movement between said support and cutter, a second fluid-pressure mechanism for effecting a relative feed vmovementbetween said support anda cutter in another direction, high and low pressure reservoirs for operatingfluid, a pump for transferring fluid from the low to the high pressure reservoir, conduits 3 miese# nisins to the 10W pressure reservoir, valves clusion of the feeding movements to permit in said conduits leading to the low presiow to the lowy pressure reservolr. `1o

' sure reservoir, all of said valves being In testimony whereof I have hereunto set closed to prevent flow to the 10W pressure my hand.

reservoir during the feeding operations of .EMANUEL POKORA. said mechanisms, and means operable by the Witnesses: A relative movement between said cutter and PAUL N. CRITCHLOW,

vsupport for opening said valves at the con- `FRANCIS J. ToMAssoN. 

